Calibrachoa plant named &#34;Uscalchstm&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘USCALCHSTM’, characterized by its compact, upright to outwardly spreading and mounding to eventually trailing plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance; freely flowering habit; bright yellow-colored petals with red purple-colored speckles and splotches forming a star-shaped pattern; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘USCALCHSTM’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘USCALCHSTM’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Gensingen, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new uniform and freely-branchingCalibrachoa plants with unique and attractive flower coloration and goodgarden performance.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutationof ‘USCAL91001’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,232. The newCalibrachoa plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant within a population of plants of ‘USCAL91001’ ina controlled greenhouse environment in Gensingen, Germany in July, 2012.The selection of the new Calibrachoa plant was based on its uniquecombination of flower color and flower color pattern.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by vegetative terminalcuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Gensingen, Germanysince August, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this newCalibrachoa plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘USCALCHSTM’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘USCALCHSTM’ as a new and distinct Calibrachoaplant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to outwardly spreading and mounding to        eventually trailing plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Bright yellow-colored petals with red purple-colored speckles        and splotches forming a star-shaped pattern.    -   6. Good garden performance.

The new Calibrachoa plant can be compared to plants of the mutationparent, ‘USCAL91001’. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarilyfrom plants of ‘USCAL91001’ in flower color as plants of ‘USCAL91001’have red purple-colored flowers with yellow-colored star-shaped pattern.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of theCalibrachoa sp. ‘USCAL23101’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent applicationSer. No. 14/121,653. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall,Calif., plants of the new Calibrachoa differed primarily from plants of‘USCAL23101’ in flower color as plants of ‘USCAL23101’ had solid cherryred-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Calibrachoa plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Calibrachoa plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a side perspective view ofa typical flowering plant of ‘USCALCHSTM’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘USCALCHSTM’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the late spring in 10-cmcontainers in an outdoor nursery in Bonsall, Calif. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C., nighttemperatures averaged 16° C. and light levels ranged from 7,000 to10,000 foot-candles. Plants were pinched one time and were nine weeksold when the photographs and description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘USCALCHSTM’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of ‘USCAL91001’,    disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,232.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at            temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six days at            temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About 22 days at            temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 29° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About 25 days at            temperatures ranging from 17° C. to 21° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically            white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on            substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and            formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of            roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright to outwardly            spreading and mounding to eventually trailing plant habit;            freely branching habit with about three primary lateral            branches each with multiple secondary branches; pinching            enhances branching; dense and bushy appearance; vigorous            growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 9.5 cm.        -   Plant diameter: About 20 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 12 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 2 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1.7 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright then outwardly spreading to            eventually trailing.        -   Texture.—Pubescent; minute.        -   Color.—Close to 146C.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate; after flowering,            opposite; leaves simple.        -   Length.—About 2.8 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.        -   Apex.—Rounded to broadly acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; minute.        -   Luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Matte.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N137C.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B; venation,            close to 146B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 146A; venation, close to 146B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; minute. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 146C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers            arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with            typically about six to eight open flowers per lateral branch            and more than 100 open flowers per plant at a time; flowers            face upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Calibrachoa            begin flowering about four weeks after planting; plants            flower continuously from the early spring though the summer            until autumn in Southern California.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five to            seven days on the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.3 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.            Shape: Oblong, elongate. Color: Close to 1C.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.4 cm by 2.7 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 2.7 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 5 mm by 8 mm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 1.8 cm.        -   Flower tube diameter, base.—About 2.5 mm.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five fused petals opening into a            flared trumpet. Petal lobe length (from throat): About            1.4 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.6 cm. Petal shape:            Fan-shaped. Petal apex: Rounded, slightly and shallowly            emarginate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper            surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Petal texture, lower            surface: Pubescent; minute and primarily along the veins.            Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent;            minute and primarily along the veins. Petal luster, upper            and lower surfaces: Matte. Throat luster: Glossy. Tube            luster: Matte. Color: Petal lobe, when opening, upper            surface: Close to 2B; centers, irregular speckles and            splotches, close to 71A. Petal lobe, when opening, lower            surface: Close to 2D; centers, irregular splotches and            speckles, close to 186B. Petal lobe, fully opened, upper            surface: Close to 3B; centers, irregular speckles and            splotches, close to 61A; venation, close to 3B; with            development, ground color becoming closer to 4D and speckles            and splotches becoming closer to 71A to 71B. Petal lobe,            fully opened, lower surface: Close to 3D; centers, irregular            splotches and speckles, close to 186A; venation, closer to            N77A. Throat: Close to 9A; venation, close to 1B. Tube:            Close to 3D; venation, close to N77A.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five            sepals fused towards the base and arranged in a single            whorl. Sepal length: About 1.2 cm. Sepal width: About 3 mm.            Sepal shape: Narrowly elliptic. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal            margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Pubescent; minute. Sepal color, upper surface: Close to 146A            to 146B. Sepal color, lower surface: Close to 146B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Angle: About 45° from stem axis. Strength: Strong. Texture:            Pubescent; minute. Color: Close to 146C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.            Filament length: About 6 mm. Filament color: Close to 145D.            Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther shape: Oval. Anther color:            Close to 10B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to            10A. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About            1.2 cm. Style length: About 8 mm. Style color: Close to            145C. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma color: Close to 146D.            Ovary color: Close to 145B. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit            development have not been observed on plants of the new            Calibrachoa.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 40° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Calibrachoa plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named‘USCALCHSTM’ as illustrated and described.